Family visit
by marcelb
Summary: J&A go back to Earth for a visit and show off little D. My second GTA challenge


**Title:** Family visit  
**Notes:** My second guess the author 'challenge'. This fic has a big hint in it, almost shouting out I'm the real author. Halfway through the challenge I emphasized the hint, after someone found it.

* * *

**W**ormholes. Now you know'em, now you don't. Or, more accurately, you don't know'em for a little while, and then, presto! Here's the knowledge again. Well, fuck it, I don't want it. I'm happy the way things are now. No wars, a son and a beautiful, loving wife. Peace and quiet. Honestly, I can't think of anything wormholes could do for me that'd be better. So far, they only brought pain and death. 

**R**easons enough to ignore all the wormhole crap, no reasons to use it. Except for one. And if he's honest with himself, there are two other reasons, but those are very bad reasons. He's sure if he'd even attempt such a thing, Einstein wouldn't just pull the crap out, he'd kill him. And with good reason, too.

**I**mpossible reasons aside, there was still one reason to use his wormhole knowledge: find a way back to Earth. Show of his son to the family. Spend some time on Earth with his new wife, but this time without the whole separation thing ruining it. And without the critter. He shuddered at the memory of that afternoon and the resulting bruised face of his sister.

**T**wice he'd seen bruises on her face. The first time her then boyfriend had been the cause. That guy ended up with some bruises of his own. It hadn't been his intention at the time, but the guy had been a real ass about it when John confronted him, not even thinking he'd need to apologize to Livvy. That reaction made John think this was not the first time that guy had done it. It just happened to be the first time he'd noticed it. So he'd let the guy knowing just exactly what he thought about it, without using words.

**T**urning his head, he saw Aeryn enter their quarters with their son held securely against herself. She'd taken to motherhood a lot better than either of them had expected. Yeah, she was a bit insecure with some of the aspects of childcare, but once she found out how to do things, she'd do them with the same focus and determination she used during a crisis. "There's the two people I love most." He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it came out anyway, and Aeryn looked up and smiled.

**E**very time she smiled it took his breath away. She looked so happy and open. Nothing like the Peacekeeper expression that was there during those first months in the Uncharteds. Not that that expression didn't have any allure to him. Truth be told, any facial expression his wife could throw him had the power to turn him on. Even when she was angry with him because he screwed something up. Damn, he really must be deeply in love if he found her Peacekeeper glares a turn on!

**N**ow that he had her attention, he might as well bring up the subject, see what she thought about it. "Hey, Aer, you know how Einstein pulled out the wormhole crap?" When she nodded, he continued. "Well, turns out, they didn't pull it permanently. Not that I could build a weapon, but I should be able to find a wormhole to get us back…" He was about to say home, but realized that wasn't the case. Home was here, with Aeryn and little D, living the quiet life aboard Moya. "To Earth," he finished instead. "So, whadda ya think? Should we show off little D to the family?"

* * *

**B**lue. Everything seemed to revolve around that color, with John. From the color of his eyes, through wormholes and to his home planet. Well, the latter was not entirely blue, but as they came up to Earth, Aeryn couldn't help but notice that color was the most prominent. This time John had taken precautions, flying on a trajectory which would make them invisible to those on the planet. He wasn't about to let this trip be ruined by the 'suits' and 'eggheads,' as he referred to the people who guarded and studied them the last time they… visited. 

**Y**awning and waving his little arms about, her son drew attention to himself. "Do you see that, little one? This is where you father was born." She pointed at the planet, but D'Argo clearly wasn't interested in it. Instead he seemed focused on the lights and switches of John's module. Aeryn gazed back at her husband's home planet, noting John was about to enter the atmosphere. She wondered how John's family would react to their wedding and their son. Olivia had seemed to like her, but Aeryn wasn't certain if that would still be the case now. Giving a mental shrug, she threw those thoughts from her mind. She'd just wait and see what their reactions would be and deal with the situation as it arose. Wait a microt. Was John actually going to land in his fathers back yard?

* * *

**M**any times Jack had heard that voice, mostly in his dreams. The voice of his son. And clearly he wasn't the only one to hear it, judging by the silence that fell over the room. This would be the best birthday present, ever! Jack quickly got up and made his way toward the kitchen, from where the voice had come, but almost stopped when he realized that John's word seemed to be directed at an infant. He turned back to his two daughters, both standing right behind him. 

**A**fter a moments hesitation, he resumed his course toward the kitchen, where he found his son standing next to a woman, who was bend over the kitchen table to fasten a diaper on an infant, with John talking to it. It appeared they hadn't noticed his arrival yet; if they had, they didn't show it. Again, Jack turned to his daughters. He could tell both were happy to see their brother alive and well. He knew Livvy would, but Susan really hadn't forgiven her brother for the way he had, or hadn't, dealt with his mother's death. That had become painfully clear last time John had returned. Oh, she had come to see him, true, but she'd still been cold and distant toward him and hadn't stayed very long.

**R**ealizing suddenly that John had stopped talking, he quickly turned back to see the woman in question was none other than Aeryn. Before he had a chance to say something, Livvy was already hugging him. Susan had opted to greet Aeryn and the infant. Hearing his grandson being introduced finally made him do something other than standing there, gaping like a fish.

"**C**ongratulations, Son," Jack said as he walked over to Aeryn in order to meet his new grandson. Only then did he notice his wife's wedding ring on Aeryn's finger and he turned to look at his son. "You two got married?" At the nod, he hugged Aeryn, "welcome to the family, Aeryn." Olivia and Susan also congratulated them both, and for the first time Susan didn't seem so distant toward John.

**E**veryone settled in the living room, so John and Aeryn could tell their story. Jack wasn't so happy with all the information coming his way. These two had been through hell, but he had to admit they'd only seemed to have gained strength from all the ordeals they'd had to endure. He was really surprised to learn they'd gotten married literally seconds before Aeryn gave birth to the little guy, right during a battle. He was saddened to hear of the big Luxan's death, but proud to learn they'd decided to honor the man by naming their son after him. They talked the rest of the afternoon and the evening about everything that happened since they'd left…

**L**eaving. That's what entered his thought processes as the evening wound down; they'd be leaving. Perhaps even soon. He knew Aeryn wouldn't want to stay for very long, but Jack also knew his son had no intentions of settling on Earth. Earth wasn't his home anymore. Heck, it wasn't big enough for someone who'd been traveling around the universe for over five years. When he asked about it, he was presently surprised to hear they'd arranged a month long stay while Moya and Pilot explored the area surrounding Earth's solar system. Aeryn also promised to make sure John would come back each year, eliciting a surprised frown from John.

**B**y midnight sleeping arrangements had been made and Jack went to bed the happiest man alive. The house hadn't been this full in a very long time, not with just family. He'd seen the bond between Olivia and Aeryn grow even tighter than it was the last time she'd been here. He had a sneaky suspicion Livvy had shown Aeryn a lot about taking care of babies, given the fact the two of them had gone to take care of little D'Argo and hadn't returned for nearly an hour. And the bond between John and Susan seemed to have been strengthen to an almost normal level. Yes, Jack reflected, this really had been the best birthday ever.


End file.
